I’ve devoted my work to constructing bridges between continents, connecting ecosystems, creating alternatives for trade, and creating new enterprise ties between startups throughout Africa and Europe.
We can’t deny that, in comparison with Europe, many African startup ecosystems are nonetheless much less mature. The figures underscore that, whereas African startups raised €1.4 billion within the first half of 2025, in Germany alone, €4.3 billion was raised. But if we take a more in-depth have a look at what is occurring within the startup world, we see some thrilling developments. African startups have began buying European firms and making a reputation for themselves on the worldwide tech stage.
Let me present you a number of good examples.
Let’s begin with the HR-tech firm Andela. Based in Nigeria (with its headquarters now within the US), Andela is very profitable in connecting high African tech expertise with worldwide firms. In 2023, Andela raised eyebrows when it acquired the Munich-based startup Casana, strengthening its European presence and displaying that African-rooted firms might be strategic consumers in one of many world’s best markets.
Andela just isn’t the one instance. Throughout the African continent, there are extra formidable startups making strikes on the European stage.
Kenya’s BitPesa (now AZA Finance) expanded by buying Spanish fintech TransferZero, establishing a brand new funds freeway between the continents. One other Kenyan firm, HotelOnline, based in 2014 by Norwegians Håvar Bauck and Endre Opdal, confirmed how traveltech can scale throughout borders, because the DNA of this sector suggests. It acquired Norway’s European Journey Group AS as early as 2017 after which went on to purchase the rental startup Key Butler (of Danish origin) in 2019.
Egypt, one of many so-called “Large 4” in Africa (the 4 largest tech ecosystems: Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa), has additionally put its foot down in Europe. Swvl, born in Cairo and later headquartered in Dubai, acquired Shotl in Barcelona in 2021 and Berlin’s Door2door in 2022. This gave Swvl entry to superior European transport software program and strengthened its worldwide attain.
Lastly, there’s LemFi, a Nigerian fintech specializing in migrant communities. In early 2025, it acquired an Irish firm to anchor its European presence and went on to accumulate Pillar Labs, a London-based startup specialising in credit score companies for migrants. This was fairly a unprecedented strategic coup: LemFi expanded its companies for Africans overseas whereas tackling a really European ache level – the issue of economic inclusion for newcomers.
What shouldn’t be overlooked right here is the unbelievable story of InstaDeep, an AI firm of Tunisian origin, which was acquired by German biotech chief BioNTech (which all of us keep in mind from the pandemic) in a landmark €636 million deal in 2023. This was the most important deeptech exit in Africa’s historical past. In fact, this was an exit reasonably than an acquisition, but it surely underlined a brand new curiosity in African-born innovation and put a highlight on the exceptional ecosystem constructing that Tunisia has achieved lately.
Additionally an exit, though not fairly as enormous, was that of Expensya, based in Tunisia (it later moved to Paris). The corporate, based by Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani, was acquired by Sweden’s Medius for over $100 million in 2023. Once more, a great instance to point out that Africa cannot solely export tech expertise, but in addition software program.
Key takeaways: Taken collectively, this tells a brand new story: slowly, African startups are rising as gamers within the world ecosystem. They’re changing into strategic companions, typically consolidators in Europe. For these of us working on the intersection of those ecosystems, witnessing this shift means lots. It places a continent on the map that has remained within the shadows for much too lengthy. I additionally hope it helps to reframe how we take into consideration Africa and Europe in entrepreneurship: as a two-way enterprise road for mutually helpful, formidable, and future-oriented partnerships.
